''Dino Lab'' is a two-part TVDocumentary from the Creator/DiscoveryChannel. Both hour-long episodes share the basic premise: a bunch of scientists working at the "Dino Lab" bring ancient [[EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs dinosaurs]] back to life to conduct experiments on them. Humans [[RogerRabbitEffect interact]] with {{CGI}} dinosaurs in scenes taking place at the lab, while inserted clips of ''real'' scientists explain why the dinosaurs behave the way the do. Basically, it's like ''Series/PrehistoricPark'' but without an ongoing plot and more science and [[{{Narm}} cheese]].

The first episode aired in 2006 and relied heavily on StockFootage taken from ''WesternAnimation/WhenDinosaursRoamedAmerica'' and ''Series/DinosaurPlanet''. In fact, several of the animals themselves were simply reused CGI models from those shows.

The second episode (''Dino Lab II'') debuted in 2009. Here, the animals' CGI received a total makeover.----!!Contains examples of:* AnimalsNotToScale: ''Quetzalcoatlus'' is smaller than in real life.* ArtisticLicensePaleontology:** When discussing the horns of ''Triceratops'', the program shows copious amounts of StockFootage of ''Zuniceratops'' animations. While the animals were similar, ''Zuni'' was smaller and lacked the famous nose-horn of its famous cousin. This results in the narration not making ''any'' sense.[[note]]And they had damn good stock footage of ''Triceratops'' available.[[/note]]** When Nelly the ''Apatosaurus'' is introduced in the original, she is billed as "the largest dinosaur". The sequel fixes it by using ''Argentinosaurus'', which actually ''is'' the largest dinosaur.** See also the PteroSoarer and RaptorAttack examples.* CarnivoreConfusion: Plant-eaters are treated as relatively safe-to-work-with creatures, no matter how many deadly spikes and horns they have. That said, the workers still approach them with caution. Predators are locked away ''Film/JurassicPark''-style.* DangerousWorkplace: The definition of the trope. Dinosaurs walk around freely inside and outside the Lab (save for the more ferocious carnivores, of course), as do humans. At times, they barely escape getting killed by the uncooperative reptiles. You'd think a facility such as this would be better guarded and staffed.* {{Hologram}}: They use a ''T. rex'' hologram to test the ''Argentinosaurus'' and ''Stegosaurus''' fighting abilities.* FeatheredFiend: ''[[UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeDinosaurs Microraptor]]'' and "''Troodon''", if it ''was'' a ''Troodon''.* TheMakeover: On the creatures between the two episodes.* MamaBear: ''Hypacrosaurus''.* NoisyNature: The dinosaurs can't even blink without making loud, synthesized roars.* OffModel: Using different CGI models for the same creatures means that, for instance, the ''T. rex'' and the ''Quetzalcoatlus'' drastically change their appearance from lab scenes to StockFootage shots. Not to mention the ''Triceratops''-''Zuniceratops'' confusion. See ArtisticLicensePaleontology, below. * PteroSoarer: Instead of the relatively accurate ''Quetzalcoatlus'' model from ''WesternAnimation/WhenDinosaursRoamedAmerica'', they use the ugly ''Series/DinosaurPlanet'' one. It has an overall body size and head-shape that's so wrong, it looks as if someone beat it halfway into a ''Pteranodon'' with a hammer. Oh, and they call it a "flying dinosaur". Really.* RaptorAttack: "''Troodon''". There are no words. They had those nifty ''Troodon'' models from ''Series/DinosaurPlanet'', in two different colorations to boot. They make a return in this show, right? Ha-ha. ''No, they recycled the ''Coelophysis'' model from ''WesternAnimation/WhenDinosaursRoamedAmerica'' instead!'' Sure, people unfamiliar with dinosaurs may confuse them, but there are many differences: the Late Triassic ''Coelophysis'' had a much longer neck, four fingers instead of three, a flexible tail, no sickle-claw, and probably no feathers. ''Troodon'', which was a much more advanced dinosaur that hailed from the Late Cretaceous, had a fluffy coating, stiff tail and raptor-esque claws on its feet. What the animators did is the equivalent of trying to sell a grizzly bear as a gorilla, basically. Oh, and they mispronounce it "True-don", as opposed to the correct "Troh-uh-don". That said, the sequel's ''Microraptor'' nicely averts this.* RuleOfCool: The Dino Lab itself. In fact, if nearly all of the lab scenes were cut, the scientific value would still stay intact (but not so much the entertainment value).* RuleOfFunny: The trucker from the first episode. Lab workers tell him he has to go, yet he remains at the lab to ensue hilarity!* ScienceMarchesOn: The scientists describe ''Quetzalcoatlus'' as being cumbersome and unprotected on land, having difficulty taking off, soaring for long distances over the ocean and constantly compare it to birds. This is in stark contrast with today's image of the animal: the terrifyingly badass carnivorous flying giraffe that swallowed small dinosaurs whole and leaped off flat surfaces with ease, using its strong, elongated forelimbs.** ''Microraptor'' likely had iridescent feathers.* SeaMonster: The lab's plesiosaur in the original.* SeldomSeenSpecies: ''Hypacrosaurus'', ''Microraptor'', and ''Argentinosaurus''.* SmallTaxonomyPools: There aren't many dinosaurs, but the show features a colorful variety of them.* SpeculativeDocumentary* StockDinosaurs: Let's see, there's ''Tyrannosaurus'', ''Triceratops'', ''Apatosaurus'', ''Stegosaurus'' and ''Quetzalcoatlus''. You might wanna count ''Coelophysis'' as well, even if the program calls it by another name.* StockFootage: Ridiculous amounts in the first episode, coupled with StockFootageFailure.* SuperPersistentPredator: The plesiosaur to Mark.* TyrannosaurusRex: His speed is tested in the original, and his bite force in the sequel.